bang1 taap3崩塌
Jyutpingbang1 taap3
Yalebāng taap
Definition
To collapse, cave in, or fall down, especially referring to structures.
writtenplacesdescriptions
How it's used
While 崩塌 is understood in Cantonese, it is a formal term primarily used in news reports or technical discussions regarding structural integrity. In everyday speech, native speakers almost exclusively use the verb 冧 to describe something falling down or collapsing. Using 崩塌 in casual conversation can sound overly dramatic or like you are reading from a newspaper.
Examples
That old building could collapse at any time, it's very dangerous.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for things falling over, but it specifically implies a structural failure or a cave-in. For smaller objects like a stack of books or a person falling, use 跌 or 冧 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
